WEBVTT ED: TIME FOR OUR SUNDAY ROUNDTABLE. WE’RE JOINED BY DEMOCRATIC ANALYST MARY ANNE MARSH AND REPUBLICAN ANALYST ROB GRAY. JANET: WE ENDED 2018 WITH A SEXUAL HARASSMENT SCANDAL IN THE SENATE AND WE START 2019 IN THE HOUSE. HE IS ACCUSED OF GRABBING THE BACKSIDE OF A FEMA LEGISLATOR AT AN ORIENTATION IN DECEMBER. ANYONE SURPRISED? ROB: IT IS CONTINUING IN GOVERNMENT, LEGISLATURES, AND BUSINESS. AS MUCH ATTENTION HAS BEEN PUT ON THE ISSUE, ME TOO IS NOT A 2017 OR 2018 ISSUE, IT IS A CONTINUING ISSUE. JANET: CONSIDERING THE ATTENTION PAID NOT ONLY IN THE POLITICAL ARENA BUT EVERY OTHER ARENA, ARE YOU SURPRISED? MARY ANNE: IT IS STUNNING AND STUPID AND WRONG. YOU HAVE AN ACCOUNT BY THE VICTIM, YOU HAVE AN ACCOUNT BY THE EYEWITNESS. MCMURTRY IS CHAIR OF THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE, AND YOUR AIDE HAD TO BE REMOVED AND REPORTED FROM SERVICE BECAUSE OF BULLYING? REALLY? COME ON. THIS SHOULD BE DEALT WITH AND FAST. ED: IN THE " GLOBE" STORY, HE DENIED IT. FOR THE RECORD. MARY ANNE: MISTAKEN IDENTITY. JANET: DOES THIS PUT THE HOUSE SPEAKER ON THE HOTSPOT, HOW HE REACTS? ROB: SURE. THE SPOTLIGHT IS ON HIM. THE SPOTLIGHT ON THE STATE SENATE IS STILL ON THE STATE SENATE. IT IS GOING TO BE TRICKY FOR HIM TO NAVIGATE, NO QUESTION ABOUT HIM. JANET: DOES HE HAVE TO STEP FORWARD AND DO AND SAY SOMETHING RELATIVELY SOON? MARY ANNE: IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED NOW. JANET: NO QUESTIONS? MARY ANNE: NO QUESTIONS. ED: BOSTON MAYOR MARTY WALSH HAD A MOMENT IN THE STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS THAT GAVE EVERYONE A CHUCKLE. MAYOR WALSH: GOVERNOR BAKER AND I ARE GOING ON A ROAD TRIP. INSTEAD OF BUILDING WALLS, LET’S SHOW THEM HOW TO BUILD BRIDGES. ED: O COURSE, THAT ROAD TRIP WOULD BE TO WASHINGTON. DO WE FORGET THAT GOVERNOR BAKER IS A REPUBLICAN? BAKER MAKES A POINT OF LET ME DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS FOR THE SHUTDOWN. IS HE RIGHT? MARY ANNE: AT TIMES BAKER SEEMS ALMOST NONPARTISAN, BUT ON THE SHUTDOWN HE IS WRONG. THIS IS NOT A BOTH SIDES ISSUE. THIS IS A DONALD TRUMP-REPUBLICAN-MITCH MCCONNELL ISSUE. TRUMP IS UNPOPULAR AND PUSHING AN UNPOPULAR WALL AND AN UNPOPULAR SHUTOUT. NOTHING TO DO WITH IMMIGRATION, NOTHING TO DO WITH THE WALL, EVERYTHING TO KEEP HIS BASE HAPPY BECAUSE HE WANTS TO HOLD ON TO THE WHITE HOUSE WITH MUELLER COMING. ED: FUN ROAD TRIP TO BE ON. ROB: SOUNDS LIKE FUN. MAYBE THEY CAN MAKE A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT IT LIKE ONE OF THOSE BUDDY MOVIES. [LAUGHTER] JANE WE HAVE GOT TO COME UP WITH A CLEVER NAME. ROB: LISTEN, BAKER IS RIGHT ON THE FACTS AND THE POLITICS, BLAMING BOTH PARTIES. HE MADE HIS NAME BY BEING A MODERATE AND SPEAKING OUT AGAINST REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS WHEN HE THINKS THEY ARE WRONG. I THINK PELOSI HAS STARTED TO ENGAGE IN CHEAP SHOTTERY WITH THE STATE OF THE UNION THING AND OTHER THINGS. SHE HAS TO REMEMBER THAT HER POPULARITY IS LOWER THAN DONALD TRUMP’S, AND CONGRESS -- MARY ANNE: THAT’S NOT TRUE. ROB: IS EVEN LOWER THAN HERS. WHEN SHE TAKES CHEAP SHOTS AT TRUMP, SHE READ TO HER BASE BUT DOES NOT HELP THE NATION AS A WHOLE. MARY ANNE: NANCY PELOSI IS MORE POPULAR THAN DONALD TRUMP, PERIOD. ROB: HOW ABOUT CONGRESS? MARY ANNE: WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO, GIVE DONALD TRUMP A PLATFORM TO SAY THAT THE STATE OF THE UNION IS SHUT DOWN? HE GAVE HIS ADDRESS A FEW WEEKS AGO WITH THE NETWORKS. IT FAILED. THEY WON’T GIVE IT TO HIM AGAIN. ROB: IT IS TRADITION AND PRESIDENTS OF BOTH PARTIES HAVE BEEN TREATED FAIRLY -- MARY ANNE: YOU CAN PROVIDE IT IN WRITING. UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT OPENS UP, THAT IS NOT NORMAL BUSINESS. JANET: WHAT ABOUT SECURITY? IS THAT AN EXCUSE? ROB: TOTAL RED HERRING. MARY ANNE: A RECENT, NOT THE REASON. JANET: HE SAYS HE IS NOT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT. WHAT DO YOU SET? ROB: I DON’T THINK HE IS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT. HE IS RUNNING FOR VICE PRESIDENT. HE IS DIPPING HIS TOE IN THE WATER. HE WANTS TO BE THE CHOICE IS THE RIGHT PERSON GETS NOMINATED. JANET: MARY ANNE? MARY ANNE: HA. [LAUGHTER] MARY ANNE: HERE IS THE PROBLEM PERCENT MOLTEN -- PROBLEM FOR SETH MOULTON -- IF WOMEN ARE MET AT YOU, AND THEY ARE MAD AT HIM BECAUSE HE OPPOSED NANCY PELOSI FOR SPEAKER, NO ONE WILL PICK YOU TO BE VP. HE HAS A PROBLEM HE CANNOT FIX. HE MAY BE TRYING TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT TO FIX HIS CONGRESSIONAL PROBLEM. HE WILL END UP EMPTY-HANDED. JANET: YOU DON’T DENY THAT THAT IS WHAT THE ULTIMATE NARRATIVE IS BY GOING TO NEW HAMPSHIRE? MARY ANNE: I AM CONFIDENT HE IS TRYING TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT.

The roundtable talks about the sexual harassment allegations brought against Rep. Paul McMurtry, which the state representative has denied. The group also discusses Mayor Marty Walsh's State of the City address and Rep. Seth Moulton's trip to New Hampshire.

BOSTON —

The roundtable talks about the sexual harassment allegations brought against Rep. Paul McMurtry, which the state representative has denied.

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The group also discusses Mayor Marty Walsh's State of the City address and Rep. Seth Moulton's trip to New Hampshire.